GAMEDAY CENTRAL
(3/3) IUP Crimson Hawks (9-0, 3-0 PSAC)
at (RV/18) Fairmont State (8-2, 6-0 MEC)
Friday, December 14, 2018 | 7 p.m.
Fairmont, W.Va. | Joe Retton Arena (2,711)
*Rankings reflect NABC/D2SIDA Top 25 Polls

HOW TO FOLLOW
Stats: FightingFalcons.com | Sidearm Sports
Watch: FightingFalcons.com | Team 1 Sports
Radio: WQMU 92.5 FM | u92radio.com
Audio App: U92.5 Sports App (Android & iPhone)
Social Media: Twitter | @IUP_MBB

GAME PREVIEWS
IUP Game Notes (PDF)
Fairmont State M. Basketball page

COMING UP
Tuesday, December 18 vs. West Chester, 7:30 p.m.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
No. 3 IUP men's basketball (9-0, 3-0 PSAC) is on the road for another regional battle against a top 25 team when they square off with Fairmont State (8-2, 6-0 MEC) Friday night in West Virginia. Tipoff at Joe Retton Arena is set for 7 p.m. The Crimson Hawks look to continue their momentum from an 88-77 home win over No. 11 Shippensburg last Saturday. The Falcons have won eight straight and are fresh off their biggest win of the season, a 106-104 victory over No. 8 West Liberty Sunday at home.  

TIPOFF NOTES
>> The Crimson Hawks improved to 9-0 and picked up their third straight PSAC win with an 88-77 home victory over No. 11 Shippensburg Saturday. Sr. G Dante Lombardi scored a career-high 27 points and Sr. F Jacobo Diaz posted his 4th double-double fo the season. 
>> It was IUP's second win over a ranked opponent this season, defeating then-No. 16 Virginia State 69-67 at home on November 10.
>> This is the fourth straight regular season meeting between arguably the best two teams in the Atlantic Region during that span. IUP is 1-2 in those previous three games, including a 74-59 win at home last year.
>> IUP HC Joe Lombardi is 2-3 against Fairmont State, with wins bookending the current series. His 2009-10 team defeated the Falcons 71-67 in the opening round of the NCAA Championships. 
>> These two teams also met in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Championships with the Falcons winning 84-68 on their home court, before eventually falling in the national title game to Northwest Missouri State.
>> This is the Crimson Hawks' final non-conference game of the season. They are 18-7 in regular season non-conference games since 2014-15, including a 2-3 mark in road/neutral games. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE FALCONS
>> Fairmont State is 8-2 overall and 6-0 in the Mountain East Conference. 
>> They are receiving votes in the latest NABC poll and moved up to No. 18 in the D2SIDA media top 25. 
>> The Falcons have won eight straight games after dropping their opening games at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in St. Joseph, Missouri. 
>> The Falcons have played in five games decided by 3 points or fewer
>> They are coming off a 106-104 home win over No. 8 West Liberty Sunday, with Jason Jolly hitting the go-ahead bucket with a second left.
>> Jolly leads FSU in scoring at 20.4 PPG on the strength of 41 3-pointers and a 44.1 3FG%.

CRIMSON HAWKS ONE OF TOP TEAMS IN THE NATION
>> IUP has been ranked No. 3 in both the NABC and D2SIDA Media Top 25 polls for four straight weeks. IUP opened the year at No. 8 in the coaches and No. 6 in the media preseason polls.
>> The Crimson Hawks received all six first place votes in the latest D2SIDA Atlantic Region rankings for the fourth straight release. Fairmont State is No. 2 in this week's regional poll.
>> The Crimson Hawks also received national attention from preseason magazines, earning a No. 3 ranking by Street & Smith's and a No. 13 ranking from the Division II Bulletin. 

IUP CARRIES STRONG NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE IN 2018-19
>> IUP put together arguably the strongest non-conference schedule in the Atlantic Region, including Concord and Fairmont State (MEC), Virginia State and Bowie State (CIAA), USCiences (CACC) and Le Moyne (NE10). 
>> Those teams combined for a 121-60 (.669) record last year with a pair of No. 1 regionally ranked teams.
>> This year they have combined for a 34-23 overall record, including 16-4 by the MEC schools. 

JACOBO DIAZ ONE OF THE TOP PLAYERS IN DIVISION II
>> Sr. F Jacobo Diaz is one of the top players in the PSAC, the Atlantic Region, and in Division II.
>> He ranks in the top 10 in the PSAC in 14 statistical categories, including 5th in scoring (20.3 PPG) and rebounding (8.8 RPG). His 4 double-doubles are tied for 1st in the conference. 
>> Diaz has led IUP in scoring five times this year and has five different 20-point performances. He scored a season-high 29 points in 31 minutes against Westminster.
>> Diaz has been named PSAC West Athlete of the Week twice this year (Nov. 12, Nov. 26). 
>> Diaz ranks 3rd among active Division II leaders with 882 career rebounds. His 33 career double-doubles are 4th most among active players. 
>> The 2017 All-American and PSAC West Athlete of the Year was named a preseason All-American this year by Street & Smith's and the Division II Bulletin. 

DANTE LOMBARDI ONE OF TOP POINT GUARDS IN PSAC
>> Sr. G Dante Lombardi is 4th in the PSAC and is in the top 60 in Division II with 5.3 APG. 
>> He has dished out at least 6 assists four times this season, including a season-high 9 against Westminster.
>> Lombardi scored a career-high 27 points in the comeback win over No. 11 Shippensburg. He has seven games in double-figures including three 20-point outings. He also scored 26 in a win at Kutztown.  
>> Lombardi is shooting a career-best 41.7 percent from 3-point range this season. He has a 3 in all nine games this year and 31 of 36 games dating back to last season. 
>> He's the fifth player in IUP history with 1,000 career points and 400 career assists. He enters the weekend with 1,183 points and 445 assists.

MALIK MILLER STEPPING UP IN FIRST YEAR AS A STARTER
>> Jr. G Malik Miller is 3rd on the team with 16.1 PPG in his first year as a starter. 
>> He's one of only two players on the team (Diaz) to reach double-figures in scoring in all nine games this year. 
>> He scored a career-high 24 points in the win over No. 16 Virginia State.  

WILLEM BRANDWIJK ADDING PRESENCE IN THE POST
>> Sr. F Willem Brandwijk is averaging 9.7 PPG and 5.8 RPG in his 2nd year with the program. 
>> He's reached double-figures five times, including a season-high 14 points against Westminster. 
>> He leads the team with a 57.9 FG% (33-57) and also has a team-best 7 blocks.